The Building of an Empire
by Dawn of Erised
Summary: When Harry's twin goes off to conquer Hogwarts, Harry learns everything he can about the inner workings of the wizarding world and begin his empire. An original twist to the old clichés. AU/ Twin-Who-Lives / NoBashing / J&L Alive.


**Welcome to my new story for 2015. I hope you enjoy this hopefully original take on a lot of cliché plot ideas. Any feedback good or bad or both, will be very much appreciated. I'll update when the next chapter is written and not a moment before :) . **

**Also please note that this will be a long story - but I'll try and keep everything relevant with no 'filler' chapters.**

**Enjoy the story.**

**DOE x**

Platform nine and three quarters was bubbling with an energy only seen a few times a year. Steam began to fill the platform as a signal to the many families that there was a half an hour left until eleven o'clock. Weaving around the abandoned trolleys and children running back and forth from the train carriages to a parent they'd yet to say goodbye.

After nearly tripping over a cat as he was pulled to the side so one of the children at his side could pick up a frog, "Look Harry, it croaks." The young child exclaimed, holding the toad by the leg and waving it at his older brother.

"Ew! Gross Charlie. Harry make him stop." The much younger child on Harry's other hand whined pulling his older brother in the other direction,

Charlie merely laughed and waved the offending amphibian in his brother's face. The only girl of the group of four children was walking slightly ahead. She kept turning around at random intervals, checking her bothers were still behind her "Hurry up guys! We'll be late." Harry sighed and tugged his hand from Charlie's so he could pick up his youngest brother.

"Late for what Evie? You're not going anywhere."

"Jamie is snot head – come on I see mum further up." Evie didn't turn around just shouted before waving to a woman with red hair, the woman waved back and Evie dodged around an older man directing a trunk onto the train. Charlie followed her and left Harry walking carefully with his youngest brother in his arms, carefully stepping around people and over pets. Eventually he reached his parents and he put his youngest brother on his feet again now there was no danger of him being crushed by others.

"Oh Harry," his mum hugged him tightly, "are you very upset sweetie?"

"No. mum," Harry said quietly shrugging her off he wouldn't be going to Hogwarts – his family had suspected it from the age of eight, he'd begun to worry at nine years old when even the then six year old Evie had broken the glasses in the kitchen during a tantrum, yet he'd not done anything. So no he wasn't surprised when only one Hogwarts letter came – he didn't begrudge his brother his wand and the opportunity to learn magic. He just didn't want it shouted about in public – especially since it was bound to show up in the Prophet at some point, that the brother of the fantastic Boy-Who-Lived was a squib.

"Will I go to Hogwarts mum?" Leo asked from his place high on his dad's shoulders

"Yes dear"

"Course you will Leo – you'll be in Gryffindor of course, all of you will be, you have to turn eleven first though love." James Potter smiled at all his children, Jamie standing next Harry, glancing at him every so often, Lily coughed and placed a hand back on top of Harry's head. "…Well, yes. I'm sure you're all Gryffindor at heart of course." James reiterated, trying to fill in the hole he'd almost dug himself into.

Harry smiled at his father, before turning to Jamie – he begun to say goodbye when Leo interrupted loudly, "Shouldn't Harry be going to Hogwarts? He's eleven."

"Harry can't go to Hogwarts love," Lily replied quietly though with a sense of finality– taking note of the few people who had begun to turn around, over hearing their conversation and eavesdropping. Harry silently groaned, this would definitely be in the Evening Prophet.

"Oh Ronnie, you've dirt on your nose, here."

The Potters turned to the portal to the Muggle world, "You'd best be on the train Jamie. If the Weasleys are here – you're about to miss it,"

"James," Lily hissed, smiling at Mrs Weasley as she looked over at them, before turning back to her broad of red heads.

"See ya dad, mum." Jamie said high fiving his dad, letting his mum give him another kiss on the cheek, nodding at Evie and smiling at Leo. Only when he turned to Harry, his older twin brother, he gave him a quick hug – "Owl me Harry, I want to know what you're doing too – I'll tell you all about Hogwarts…" Jamie fidgeted, "Unless you'd rather not."

Harry smiled and nudged his shoulder playfully, "Course I will Jimmy." Jamie scowled "You conquer Hogwarts – I'll conquer the world."

Jamie laughed and hugged his twin, before rushing off to the carriage his dad had already placed his trunk into.

Watching the train leave, waving until the steam had masked the last carriage, the rest of the Potters walked backed to one of the apparation points on the station and made their way home in Godric's Hollow.

Later that night a boy sat high in a tower, ignoring his housemates as they snored and spoke in their sleep, trying to write a letter about the journey, his house and which lessons he was looking forward to the most.

Finishing it off with well wishes that Harry would learn just as much as he had before Christmas. The new Ministerial Laws passed – enabled squibs to take charge of the Family moneys, provided they were the oldest son in a family and there were no other candidates through smaller branches. Though only the oldest magical son would be able to take a seat and vote in the Wizengamot.

Jamie sighed, and pulled the covers over his head – tomorrow would be a new day.

Sat in his room in a reasonably sized cottage Harry stared forlornly at the twin bed across the room. Today his twin had started his new life, and tomorrow he'd be starting his. Slightly nervous about it Harry paced the space between the beds, for eleven years he and Jamie had been together, despite the magical outbursts or lack of in his case – they had always been together, never apart for more than twenty four hours. Slow steps could be heard on the stairs and Harry rushed to his twin's bed pulling the covers over his head, the room oddly quiet without Jamie's mumblings.


End file.
